Automatic fire extinguisher for inflammable liquids



April 12, 1955 P. ZINGLER 2,705,005

AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHER FOR INFLAMMABLE LIQUIDS Filed March 29, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet l I f I INVENTOR.

PAUL ZINGLER P. ZINGLER April 12, 1955 AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHER FOR INFLAMMABLE LIQUIDS Filed March 29, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. PAUL ZINGLER A ril 12, 1955 P. ZINGLER 2,706,005

AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHER FOR INFLAMMABLE LIQUIDS Filed March 29, .1952

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 mmvrm PAUL ZINGLER United States Patent O AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHER FOR INFLAMMABLE LIQUIDS Paul Zingler, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application March 29, 1952, Serial No. 279,333

Claims. (Cl. 169-4) This invention relates to automatic fire extinguishers and particularly to extinguishers for fires occurring on the surface of inflammable fluids.

My invention has reference to a novel device wholly automatic in operation, safe, certain, and foolproof in use. The novel device herein disclosed is relatively simple in structure, portable in certain modifications thereof, and wholly effective for the purposes intended. In my invention advantage is taken of the intense heat generated above the surface of burning fluid in a container to activate the disclosed extinguisher device. The device normally comprises a container of water or other noninflammable fluid suspended or supported in spaced relationship with respect to the surface of the inflammable fluid. The heat generated by the burning fluid causes an ejection of the extinguishing fluid from the device in the form of an atomized spray or heavy mist. On contact with the flames of the burning fluid the spray turns to steam or vapor absorbing heat from the flames and gases of the burning fluid. In addition the heavy spray or mist is caused to settle down on the surface of the burning fluid effectively extinguishing the fire.

Inview of the foregoing it is an object of this invention to provide an automatic fire extinguisher. It is a further object to provide a fire extinguisher which is relatively simple in structure and portable. It is a further object of this invention to provide an effective means for extinguishing fires occurring at the surfaces of burning For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

On the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is an elevational sectional view of the extinguisher.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view partly in section of the extinguisher adapted for use in a tank of inflammable fluid. j

Fig. 3 is a modification of the invention in front elevational sectional view.

Fig. 4 is a further modification of the invention in elevational view.

Fig. 5 is an elevational view of a further modification of the invention.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, 1 is closed tank, container, or reservoir having sealed ends 12, 13. In normal operation a predetermined quantity of water or other non-inflammable liquid 2 is contained in the bottom of the tank 1. A thin tube 3 passes through a wall of the tank 1 and extends almost to the bottom of the tank beneath the surface of the liquid 2. A broader tube 4 extends through the top 12 into the space 5 between the top of the liquid 2 and the top of the tank 1. Both tubes 3, 4 are brought into close juxtaposition at the ends thereof in a chamber 6 of a member 7. From the chamber 6 a passage 8 extends through the member 7 to the atmosphere. Tube 4 is supported by a supporting element 20. A third tube 16 is provided as a convenient means for filling the tank 1. Funnel 18 is attached to tube 16. A petcock valve having a handle 17 and internal rotating member 24 is provided in tube 16 to seal off the tube after the required amount of noninflammable liquid is run into the tank. Eye-bolts 21, 22 are provided as convenient means for suspending or carrylng the tank 1. Other means are provided however for supporting the tank as shown in Figure 2 to be described hereafter. It will be noted that the passage 23 of the tube 3 is fairly narrow with respect to the passage in tube 4. The end of tube 4 tapers to a very narrow aperture 14. The arrangement of the tubes in chamber 6 constitutes an atomizing device for fluid passing up the passage 23 in a manner to be described hereafter.

In Figure 2 is shown the device of Figure 1 comprising this invention adapted for flotation on the surface of an inflammable liquid 31 contained in a large tank 25. A plurality of floats 26, 27, 28 support the reservoir 1, via arms 15, 19, and 32 on the surface of liquid 31. Floats 26, 27 and 28 may be hollow metal balls or may be made of any other known buoyant non-inflammable material.

In operation, it is assumed that flames and hot gases 29 are rising from the surface of the liquid 31 in tank 25. Since the reservoir 1 is supported a fixed distance from the surface of liquid 31 by the arms 15, 19, and 32 the entire reservoir 1 heats up rapidly. The air in space 5 of reservoir 1 expands rapidly, forcing a fine stream of liquid up the passage 23 of tube 3. Simultaneously the expanding air and a quantity of steam pass up through tube 4 to meet the liquid stream in chamber 6. The liquid stream becomes dispersed into a fine spray which passes through the short passage 8 of the member 7 in a downward direction toward the burning surface of liquid 31. The finely divided spray immediately turns into clouds of steam or vapor 30 on contacting the flames and hot gases 29, and in the process cools the gases and extinguishes the fire. The spray also settles down on the surfaces of liquid 31 as a blanketing fog to exclude 1tihe outside air and accelerate the extinguishing of the Instead of air and water in reservoir 1 it is of course possible to substitute any different gas and/or liquid. If the reservoir 1 is first evacuated of air via tube 16, it can then be filled with nitrogen or carbon dioxide, and if desired carbon tetrachloride. These materials will be found to smother the flames of burning fluid very rapidly. When a gas other than air is used in the reservoir 1 it may be necessary to insert a one way valve in the passage 8 to prevent loss of the gas. When carbon dioxide is used, it will usually not be necessary to add a valve to the passage 8 since the passage 8 is very narrow and the mixing with air will be little because of the relatively greater weight of carbon dioxide with respect to air.

The reservoir 1 may be provided with one or more dividing walls with suitable valves in order to increase the pressure of the steam which passes through the tube 4 into the atomizing device.

In Figure 3 is shown a modification of the invention. Here the reservoir 37 is spherical in shape and hollow so as to float easily on the surface of a fluid such as liquid 31 in tank 25, of Figure 2. In this modification, the tubes 3, 4 are brought together in a block 36 in which is a bore 39 opening to the atmosphere. A flared shield 33 is held by support arms 34, 35 in spaced relationship with respect to the outer surface of the sphere 37. It is intended that the device be floated with the lower edge of shield 33 above the surface of the inflammable liquid 31. The fluid which passes up tube 3 is atomized in the block 36 and passes out of the passage to impinge against the inner surface 40 of the shield 33. Because of the curvature and flare of the shield and the curvature of the sphere 37 an expanding toroidal stream of spray passes through the passage 43 and out over the surface of burning fluid. The flare of the shield 33 aids in gathering and directing hot gases from the surface of burning fluid to the sphere 37 to hasten the heating of the air or gas in space 5, and the subsequent formation of smothering steam and vapor clouds. If desired the device shown in Figure 3 can be suspended above the surface of an inflammable liquid by means of eyebolt 38 instead of being floated on the surface of the liquid.

In Figure 4 is shown a modification of the invention which is very important. In large tanks of gasoline and other highly inflammable liquids a portable extinguisher as disclosed heretofore is often not necessary. A schematic diagram of a stationary, permanent arrangement of the extinguisher of this invention is here shown which employs a similar atomizing arrangement to that in Figure 3. Here the shield 33 is replaced by the curved top 46 of the tank 41. The reservoir 42 is permanently mounted in the tank 41 by stay bars 44, 45. Note that the level of liquid 31 may be raised above the bottom of reservoir 42 if desired provided that a space 47 is left above the surface of the liquid 31 for the proper operation of the extinguisher.

In Figures 5 and '6 are shown a further modification of the device of Figure 1. A novel spray distributing means is shown in which the member 7 containing the passage 8 is extended down the side of the reservoir 1 via tubular member 50 and opens into a circular tubular member 51. A slot 52 or a series of perforations if so desired is disposed in the wall of the tube 51 to permit the spray to pass from the extinguisher in a thin annular sheet covering a wide area. Stray bars 55, 56, 57 are used {0 support the various tubular members to the reservoir While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. An automatic fire extinguisher comprising a closed reservoir for non-inflammable fluid, valved filler means connected to said reservoir, a tube of narrow cross section extending through a wall of said reservoir, a tube of wide cross section opening into the reservoir through a wall thereof, the outer end of said tube of wide cross section tapering to a small area and juxtaposed the end of the tube of narrow cross section in an atomizing chamber, a passage leading from the chamber and opening into an atomized spray distributing means, said atomized spray distributing means comprises a curved flared shield connected to and spaced from the outer surface of the reservoir whereby a flaring toroidal passage for spray is formed.

2. An automatic fire extinguisher comprising a spherical reservoir for non-inflammable fluid, atomizer means for said fluid, and a curved flared shield attached to said spherical reservoir on the exterior thereof to form a flared toroidal passage for atomized fluid between said shield and said reservoir.

3. The combination of claim 1, wherein the flared shield terminates at substantially the outer diameter of the reservoir to closely overlie an'inflammable liquid to direct the hot gases directly on the surface of the liquid.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein the atomizing chamber is mounted directly beneath the apex of the flared shield to provide a maximum toroidal passage.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said extinguisher includes means to suspend the reservoir above the surface of an inflammable liquid.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,653,147 Burgess Dec. 20, 1927 1,671,650 Newman et al May 29, 1928 2,004,371 Janesick June 11, 1935 

